Collection SS2007: Etriers

This post continues the tradition of depicting scarves that pay tribute to distinguished craftsmanship, artistic sensibilities and vision. More, the colour combination of this particular scarf is also a discreet yet impactful homage to the House of Hermes (with its distinct and emblematic orange as the predominant colour of this scarf).

Emile-Maurice Hermes (18 December 1871 - 11 September 1951), the grandson of a founder of saddle and harness manufacture in the Grands Boulevards district in 1937, is said to have acquired an unusual switch attached to an umbrella from an antique dealer at the tender age of 12. This is how the legend of the collector "par excellence" was born. Throughout his rich life, Emile built an impressive archive of items which he categorized into various collections, including a true "Museum" of equine transport, from which this design drew its inspiration.

First launched in 1964, this scarf has been met with enthusiasm by Hermes' loyal customers and admirers alike, and has been reissued in 1990, 1997, 1999 and again in 2009 (the picture is part of the latest reissue). The scarf depicts various stirrups that, as with many other creations, have evolved over time from strictly utilitarian objects to articles of art and tremendous craftsmanship, intended to garnish the feet of male and female gentry riders, around the world. A side-step saddle stirrup from South America (19th century) is depicted alongside a silver-finished wooden stirrups from Peru (18th century), a pair made of brass from the Middle East and a copper pair from France and Spain (end of the 18th century). Their variety, inventive beauty of detail and ingenuity are a testament to the craftsmen who continue to place their know-how and talents to the service of the noble equestrian art.

May we all find inspiration in the experiences we create and people and things we come across, find the courage to turn that inspiration into wonderful outcomes, and continue to inspire those around us.